Josiah Trotter Has “No Doubt” He’s A Three-Down Linebacker
August 28th, 2026
Keep him on the field.
When inside linebacker Josiah Trotter was drafted by the Bucs, some analysts felt he couldn’t cover.
The Bucs bristled when asked about this. On draft night, Bucs vice president of player personnel Mike Biehl said team research suggested Trotter was capable of defending receivers. He just wasn’t asked to do that at Missouri.
This week during a controlled scrimmage with the Jags in Jacksonville, Trotter got a pick in 7-on-7 work.
KitKat-eating Bucs coach Todd Bowles couldn’t resist needling the rookie.
“I mean, [Trotter] finally caught one,” Bowles smirked. “He’s dropped quite a few, so we didn’t know if he could catch it.”
But he can. And Trotter all but said, after the same practice, get used to it — he’s going to be on the field on third downs for the Bucs.
“Oh, yes sir, no doubt,” Trotter said. “Coming in, I know there’s outside noise, people saying I could or could not, but I knew what I could do.
“So, I just wanted to come out here and show that I could not only just cover, I could blitz, pass rush and be everything that the Bucs need me to be for this organization, and then try to win football games, ultimately.”
Interestingly, Trotter said he has not been surprised by the physical play of the NFL. Having been schooled by his father, former Eagles great Jeremiah Trotter, and his brother, also an Eagles linebacker, Jeremiah Trotter, Jr., Josiah Trotter expected the NFL to be bruising.
What seemed to surprise Trotter was the NFL’s minutiae.
“Yeah, just the details, honestly,” Trotter said. “I don’t think it really has been anything like the play strength or anything like that because I feel like playing in the SEC, having a dad and a brother that played – [I’m] blessed to have them – just kind of helped me going into the league and then before that.
“So, I feel like I’ve been prepared for this moment my whole life. I’m just out there just trying to play my game, play fast.
“Obviously, there [are] things I’ve got to continue to clean up and be better at, but I feel like the big thing I just try to focus on is my details and small things.”
Although Bowles has been coy about Trotter starting Week 1 at Cincinnati, Joe cannot imagine Trotter not being on the field against Joe Burrow.
The Bucs made it very public that last year they wanted to add players who had heart, who had hustle, who played in a controlled rage and maybe play violently. Trotter is all those things and more.
The way the defense quit in the second half of the season last year, if Trotter and/or Rueben Bain were on the roster, rookies or not, those two may have punched someone for gutless play.
August 28th, 2026 at 7:16 am
Trotter’s a great cheerleader in practice. He’s a downhill thumper in a passing league. He can get an interception in practice. In two worthless preseason games, he’s looked like a boy amongst men, racking up a total of two tackles against 2nd and 3rd team talent. Lots of hype from Bowles and Joe, I’m waiting for the production.
August 28th, 2026 at 7:17 am
Good deal. I hope he can help light a fire in Todd’s defense.
August 28th, 2026 at 7:32 am
JimBob comically says:
“Im waiting for production”
How about waiting for an actual NFL game before you whine and complain?
Knowing the depth and knowledge of the football savants on this here website, most will give it the first quarter of Week 1 before declaring him a bust.
August 28th, 2026 at 7:34 am
Fingers crossed 🤞
August 28th, 2026 at 7:56 am
@Fanofdabucs,
I hear ya. People need to remember rookies do rookie things because they are rookies.
During the first quarter of the season someone is going to do something that makes him look silly. The trick is banking it and never letting it happen again
August 28th, 2026 at 8:27 am
Heart, hustle and controlled rage?
Finally, the defense has adopted the official JBF commenter’s mindset.
August 28th, 2026 at 8:28 am
It’s not that he “couldn’t cover”, he’d simply never been asked to
This kid is gonna be a 15 year man, I’m hope I’m still around when he retires
August 28th, 2026 at 8:29 am
If Trotter can cover a tight end on third-and-8, Tampa may put him in the Ring of Honor by Week 4.
August 28th, 2026 at 8:37 am
Should’ve taken CJ Allen but hope for the best, Bowles defense is outdated, that’s the problem, that’s why 7th round rookies, backups, and washed up (Cousins) QBs have no problem dissecting Bowles complicated not complicated defense
August 28th, 2026 at 8:52 am
@todd lol tight ends have feasted on Bucs LBs
August 28th, 2026 at 8:59 am
Todd Bowles: “He’s dropped quite a few”
Already? That sure didn’t take long to get called out in the media for having stone hands.
I know it’s way to early to declare who has what when it comes to the choices teams made at ILB in this draft but just for fun we can note what some of the names flying around this spring did in preseason week 2.
Did someone say production? Anthony Hill Jr had a sack and an INT to go with 7 tackles made with zero missed on the way to the highest PFF grade of all rookies week 2. I know I’m not the only one here not surprised he is off to a fast start earning his green dot.
CJ Allen had 3 tackles but his run savvy was on full display. He was reading the blocking and moving to the holes faster than the RBs. He did get a little intro to the NFL when he tried to blow up an OG like he did at Georgia and it worked out the opposite of what he intended. Injuries put him behind in earning his green dot for Week 1.
Speaking of welcome to the NFL, 32 year old Jameis Winston absolutely dogged on Jacob Rodriguez in his lone series. On one third down the mustachioed pass coverage ace ran right into Kyle Louis and Jameis kept the drive alive so that on another third down he could hit Rodriguez with a pump fake then beat him him to the pylon with his feet from 11 yards out. Winston is looking trim and hungry for W’s.
Trotter played? Right? Did anyone hear him? He’s really good at noise.
All these guys will be fun to watch grow and succeed in the NFL but I’m not going to like the choice of Trotter no matter how many times I hear him cite his pedigree. His brother isn’t exactly the beast of the NFC East. Hill Jr may lack the violence the Bucs craved on draft day and may have other flaws to his game that had him fall like he did but after last season my trust in the Bucs and tolerance for their hype is shot.
August 28th, 2026 at 9:10 am
Funny thing is, Trotter had some coverage reps in the KC game with the first team. Nothing crazy, dropped into zone, but it’s hard to remember because nothing came of the plays he was asked to cover and looked absolutely fine finding his depth.
What also works for and against Josiah is that he’s really young, so the lack of experience pairs well with him still being in the growth phase of his career as a player. The catch is, he’s doing this at the NFL level in comparison to his peers at the position in this past draft doing it at their respective schools. So he’ll be learning at an accelerated, but can he handle learning on the fly while also being able to correct any gaffs on the fly. All things considered, I think Trotter can at the very least grow into an ILB you can rely on no matter the down. After that, we’d consider how impactful he can be as a 3-down player.
August 28th, 2026 at 9:16 am
“All these guys will be fun to watch grow and succeed in the NFL but I’m not going to like the choice of Trotter no matter how many times I hear him cite his pedigree.”
How about if he balls out and ends up just as good or better than Allen, Hill or Rodriguez?
Have any of these LBs played in a real NFL season game yet either?
That’s a moronic statement BTW.
August 28th, 2026 at 9:28 am
JimBob thinks if they don’t produce in the preseason they are no good apparently.
What?
Did you happen to see all the other guys who made plays before he got there.
He isn’t Hal Jordan.
August 28th, 2026 at 9:43 am
Joe … ‘The way the defense quit in the second half of the season last year, if Trotter and/or Rueben Bain were on the roster, rookies or not, those two may have punched someone for gutless play.’
You just won’t let go of that bone I guess. Bucs’ defense did not quit in the 2nd half of last season. We won 2 out of those last 9 games, and both of those wins were because of the defense (20-17 win against Cards & 16-14 win against Panthers).
Our defense had 3 straight games after the BYE against 3 excellent playoff teams, each with a Top-5 offense (Pats, Bills, Rams) … and we got blown out 106-62. BOTH our defense (allowing 35 PPG in that stretch) AND our offense (only scoring 21 PPG average in that stretch) sucked for those 3 games. It became obvious that we weren’t capable of playing with the big dogs.
After that though we had 6 games in which we scored only 121 pts (20 PPG average) and our defense allowed 127 pts (21 PPG average). We went 2-4 but the 4 games we lost were by a COMBINED 11 pts (if healthier we could’ve won all 6 of those games IMO). Had we won those other 4 games, our record would’ve been a very respectable 12-5 instead of 8-9.
There’s no doubt in my mind every player on that team was trying hard to help us make the playoffs, and didn’t quit. Lack of depth (and talent) took their toll, as did injuries obviously. But to say that a team that lost 4 of their last 6 games by a TOTAL of 11 pts QUIT is doing a lot of good players a disservice who are with us again this season. HOPEFULLY we’ve improved the depth/talent issue and injuries aren’t nearly as substantial this season as last.
August 28th, 2026 at 10:01 am
“(if healthier we could’ve won all 6 of those games IMO). Had we won those other 4 games, our record would’ve been a very respectable 12-5 instead of 8-9.”
*More secure with the ball, being healthy doesn’t generate points and neither does giveaways. If we’re talking walking the razors edge the way we were losing 1-score games, mental errors that resulted in the stoppage of point generating drives and their significance were magnified in those close contests.
7 giveaways in 5 of 6 games, defense allowed 20 points to be generated off those vs. 7 takeaways in 4 of 6 games and our offense generated a whopping 7 points off those 7 bonus possessions.
In the 4 games lost in those finals 6 games, the giveaway to takeaway ratio was 6:2 at a -4 turnover margin.
-3 in the Dolphins game alone, we only lost by 3, yet fan fiction says the defense lost us that game. 11 of 20 of MIAs points were scored following those turnovers.
So yea, the mischaracterization of how last season ended with the slant to put the performance woes on the defense is fan fiction. Could make a simpler, truer case that can be made is the team was trash playing complimentary ball and generating points. In fact, both sides of the ball played reductive roles in winning these ridiculously close football games.
August 28th, 2026 at 10:20 am
It has been a hype train day 1. Big rah rah guy from what i see.Trotters camp has been mid at best and his hands is not first thing coach let slip out. cant wait again to see attempt to cover the 4 guys voss had to cover 4 of best 5 backs in league. Gibbs Saquon mccafrey and Bijon. I
August 28th, 2026 at 10:26 am
After reading this story, I hustled to my keyboard in a violent, controlled RAGE. Then forgot what I was going to write. I won’t be too hard on myself. It IS PRESEASON.
August 28th, 2026 at 10:55 am
KABucs- The kid is a relic of the old game with stiff hips, two reconstructed knees and he can’t catch. He went on in interviews after rookie camp about the other teams that wanted him so I don’t like where his ego and focus are. He’ll be something, likely an improvement over the past few years but projecting those other three to be more valuable players sooner, more consistently and for longer based on their existing bodies of work is not moronic. Not remotely.
Spending that second round pick on a two down player with knees not up to doing what football asks them to do with all the other defensive pieces available on the board could be labeled moronic but I think it’s better understood as Bowles insisting on Trotter, there, because he is on the verge of getting keel-holed and thinks his brand of old school ILB will prevent that and Licht had to give him his perhaps final shot.
I to understand things rather than lazily label them. Let’s see if we can let these careers and this season play out with calling folks or their statements things they aren’t. It’s going to be a fun year.